Hyderabad, February 26 Three minors, Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, were apprehended on Thursday for allegedly damaging an idol and stealing a copper vessel from a temple here, police said.
A case was registered following a complaint about the desecration of the Hanuman temple in Barkas, under the Chandrayangutta Police Station, and the theft of a copper vessel by unknown individuals on February 24.
During the investigation, special teams reviewed CCTV footage from nearby areas and observed some children involved in law (CCL) behaving suspiciously while carrying items in a plastic bag, according to a release from the Hyderabad Police.
The three CCLs were apprehended, and upon verification, "confessed" to breaking the temple lock with a stone, entering the premises, stealing the copper vessel, and damaging the idol, the release added.
Police said the minors, all natives of Myanmar, were apprehended from their residences in Balapur.
"The CCLs were involved in illegal activities and hatched a plan to commit theft at the Sri Dwimukha Anjaneya Swamy Temple to meet their expenses," the release said. They were sent to an Observation Home, a police official added.
A scrap dealer, who allegedly received the stolen property, was also arrested, police said.
Referring to the arrests, VHP spokesperson Ravinuthala Shashidhar questioned why "millions of Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims across Telangana are not being arrested."
He alleged that "illegal intruders" have established 26 residential colonies near national defense institutions such as DRDO, DRDL, and RCI in Balapur.
In a post on X, he said the Telangana government should not compromise national security for "vote bank politics and appeasement politics."